Active Viewership Throw your cellphone, food, and “friend” out the window Rather than splitting your time between different distractions, do one thing at a time! Ask “Why?” Take for granted that filmmakers know what they are doing, and that all things happen for a reason. Questioning every artistic decision will[Read More…]
Articles by April Barrett
Distinguishing science from sci-fi in the search for extraterrestrials
Astrobiology, the scientific study of life beyond Earth, was born in 1959 and pioneered by NASA’s Ames Research Center. Along with scientific research, public imagination of extraterrestrial life was broadening. In 1969, when Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins successfully landed on the moon, it reached new heights. Since[Read More…]
Change My View Ep 2: Are we adults?
In the second episode of Change My View, the Tribune Podcast where fringe opinions are put to the test, four Tribune editors consider the question: Are we adults?
In Competition With: McGill Quidditch
When two sports editors try their hand at actual sports who reigns supreme? On the second episode of In Competition With Selwynne and Stephen face-off in the most magical of McGill sports, Quidditch. Featuring: Selwynne Hawkins and Stephen Gill Directed by April Barrett Edited by Patrick Beacham and April Barrett Crew: Emma Avery
The Tribune Tries: Campus coffee
Editors Grace Bahler and Ariella Garmaise put McGill campus coffees to the test, from Dispatch to McGill’s very own “Roddick Roast.”
McGill cheerleading goes beyond the sidelines
The McGill cheer squad discusses training, fundraising, and managing misconceptions.
Maybe it wasn’t the wind: In defence of ghost stories
Last summer, amid the shelves of children’s novels in my house, I found a book titled 101 Ways to Find a Ghost by Melissa Martin Ellis. As someone who has always explored and enjoyed anything related to the paranormal, I dove into it. What I found most odd about the book[Read More…]
Landing softly: A conversation with Japanese Breakfast at Bar Le Ritz
Japanese Breakfast–Brooklyn-based singer and guitarist Michelle Zauner’s solo project–released their sophomore album Soft Sounds From Another Planet (Soft Sounds) on July 14. Zauner was once the frontman of the emo indie band Little Big League, where her yelping vocals and decisive lyrics earned the Philadelphia band the designation of “underrated.”[Read More…]
Staff roundup: Drake – ‘More Life’
In More Life, Drake’s propensity for picking up Caribbean sound and slang is strong, and his growing paranoia of the people around him is stronger. Still, Drake’s talent lies in his humour and humility, and a few moments on More Life demonstrate that he hasn’t fully lost that yet. Drake[Read More…]
#Ensolidarité: In response to Quebec City mosque shooting, from members of The McGill Tribune Editorial Board
On Jan. 29, a mass shooting occurred at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec, a mosque in Quebec City. The suspected shooter, a student of Laval University, opened fire on the 39 men who were praying in the mosque while women and children were upstairs. At the time of writing,[Read More…]
Being Queer: Unpacking the term and its many meanings
Jean-Felix Caron is a U3 East Asian Studies Major from Quebec City. He enjoys playing role-playing video games. “I am currently in this phase of my life where I’m re-questioning the labels I’ve had in the last few years,” he said. “I’m definitely now in the moment where I identify[Read More…]
Metatron brings emerging writers together
Literature can be much more intimate and private than visual or performance art. But for Concordia graduate Ashley Opheim, literature is the focal point of community. Her community is self-built: An independent publishing company called Metatron, established in 2013. When Opheim was studying creative writing at Concordia in 2012,[Read More…]
First Impressions: Drake’s latest tracks
"Fake Love" Apple Music’s description of “Fake Love” says that the song is, “A brutally honest look at fame and friendship.” This is a seriously bold note to start on, and it seems somehow ominous. What am I about to hear? Drake’s usual emotional/nonsensical banter, or something much darker? These[Read More…]
SaintWoods develops Montreal nightlife with “democratic cool”
Apartment 200, SuWu, and École Privée are clubs known for their unconventional conceptual design, hip-hop friendly atmosphere, and lines of young people stretching around the block. These venues are familiar to any Montrealer who frequents St-Laurent for a night out and they have begun to attract international attention from customers[Read More…]
Word on the Y: What is the best Halloween costume you’ve ever worn?
As October comes to a close, McGill students are setting aside their textbooks to celebrate Halloween. This week, The McGill Tribune asked McGill students passing by the Y-Intersection about their most creative, spooky, or cringe-worthy Halloween costumes. Sheree Marshall, U2 Psychology “I don’t know if there are any Walking Dead fans,[Read More…]
Bartender Kevin Demers offers high concept cocktails in a relaxed environment at the Cold Room
Down a twisting back alley on the corner of St-Amable and St-Vincent in the Old Port, there is an unmarked door. Above it hangs a blue ‘Sortie’ sign, and, next to it, a little doorbell. This is the entrance to the Cold Room bar, opened Sept. 24. Owner Kevin Demers[Read More…]
Where are you from? In defence of seeing race
“Where are you from?” is a loaded question. At McGill, depending on who is asking and who is being asked, the meaning of ‘where are you from?’ can range from an ambivalent, ‘where did you grow up?’ to a watered down, ‘why aren’t you white?’ As a person of colour[Read More…]
Playing it cool: A conversation with Best Coast at Osheaga
Best Coast, a band made up of the striking odd-couple Bobb Bruno and Bethany Cosentino, rose to prominence with their 2010 debut album Crazy For You. Crazy for You is a collection of odes to chilling, smoking, falling in love, and becoming very confused. Their third and latest studio album, California[Read More…]
Osheaga all-Canada round-up
Half Moon Run (Montreal) Indie rockers Half Moon Run struck it big this year with a third row mention on the Osheaga lineup poster. The band’s biggest performance challenge will be proving that they are not Walk The Moon. Grimes (Montreal) Ex-McGill student Claire Boucher is returning to the Osheaga[Read More…]
Home Brewing 101
For beer drinkers, a specific brand often holds a special place in one’s heart. For students, this brand is usually available at any depanneur. It is reliable, delicious, and—most importantly—cheap. For those looking to forgo the label, do-it-yourself brewing is becoming increasingly popular. Equipped with an at-home brewing kit and a[Read More…]
SSMU Council releases statement in favour of divestment
At its March 24 meeting, Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Council discussed the McGill Board of Governors’ (BoG) recent decision not to divest from the fossil fuel industry, and passed two motions: For SSMU to officially stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter Toronto and an official policy on[Read More…]
Beyond the red cup: On McGill’s drinking culture
In a weird, grown-up way, getting drunk can make us feel like little kids again, with not a care in the world and a lower capacity of physical functioning. The term ‘binge drinking culture’ is thrown around a lot at in a university setting. The definition of binge drinking is[Read More…]
Race and RENT: A look at racial representation within the McGill theatre community
The poster for the Arts Undergraduate Theatre Society’s (AUTS) most recent production, RENT, might have unsettled those who know the original musical well. Their first question would likely be: “Wait, why is everybody white?” RENT is a musical that centres on the lives of poor artists in 1980s New York[Read More…]
Cult Mentality EP. 1: Tackling the #oscarssowhite debate
[audiotrack title=”Cult Mentality EP. 1: Tackling the #oscarssowhite debate” songwriter=”April Barrett, Selin Altuntur, and Tanveer Ahmed” date=”February 16, 2015″ width=”700″ height=”200″ src=”https://24f2041bb5b609d25f1a97039f71682cc9154421.googledrive.com/host/0B9rQxTeDv2duM0FmSjBSYkZFS1k/Oscars%20Podcast%20%28Final%29.mp3″ autoplay=”on”] This week’s Cult Mentality podcast centres on the #oscarssowhite debate. The debate arose in response to the Academy Awards’ snub of actors and filmmakers of colour year[Read More…]
Staff Round-Up: Kanye West’s The Life Of Pablo (TLOP)
As a long-time Kanye West fan, I knew The Life of Pablo (TLOP) would deliver in terms of innovation, and considering Kanye’s career progression it was easy to guess that TLOP would feature heavily over-processed samples and gospel-esque backing beats with strong hooks and stronger guest artists. Admittedly, the best[Read More…]
Exploring other worlds: The McGill Classics department reimagines 2500-year-old play Hekabe
The Ancient Greek tragedy Hekabe, also known as Hecuba, takes place on the sandy shores of Thrace after the fall of Troy. The Trojan queen Hekabe has been captured as a slave and kept at a camp, destined for a life of unending despair. Eerie in the most fascinating way,[Read More…]
Staff roundup: Rihanna’s ANTI
In light of Rihanna's latest album, ANTI, and genre trasition that came with it, the Arts and Entertainment staff at the McGill Tribune got together to write up their initial thoughts on Rih-Rih's latest project. Is ANTI a good album? Sure it is. It’s simple and stripped down, allowing for a cohesive but emotive[Read More…]
McGill English department’s “In the Next Room” flicks back to a complicated era
The McGill Department of English’s production of Sarah Ruhl’s In the Next Room (or the Vibrator Play) is all about electricity. The play takes the audience to early 20th century Saratoga Springs, New York, a time when on-off switches were a technological marvel, a Victorian-level of propriety was imposed on every[Read More…]
Album Review: Made in the A.M. – One Direction
After a glistening and highly successful five years of ultra fame, One Direction are now officially on hiatus. 2015 was full of tabloid-worthy escapades for the British-Irish boyband. Most notably Louis Tomlinson became a baby daddy, and token brooder Zayn Malik ditched the gang for good. Their hotly anticipated fifth[Read More…]
Pop Rhetoric: Has Drake Gone Too Far?
“Hotline Bling” was released this summer, peaking at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 charts and becoming Drake’s highest rated single since 2009’s “Best I Ever Had.” Maybe the reason “Hotline Bling” gained so much popularity was its tenderness, especially when compared to Drake’s other summer singles, the[Read More…]
Fall 2015 TV Preview
The Muppets In The Muppets Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the rest of the gang return to the screen in a more adult-targeted comedy. The show follows the ‘real’ version of The Muppets behind the scenes a of a talk show. Conservative groups in the U.S. have already called for a[Read More…]
Album Review: Pagans in Vegas – Metric
Metric is a band that has yet to make a misstep in their 17 year career, and they have become known as founders of the Canadian indie-rock scene. Their latest album Pagans in Vegas, the band’s sixth overall and first in over three years, attempts[Read More…]